


What's in a Name

by gay_possum_god



Series: Queer Oxford Time Travel [1]
Category: Oxford Time Travel Universe - Connie Willis
Genre: Acceptance, Friendship, Gen, LGBTQ Themes, One Shot, Trans Female Character, Trans Merope Ward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 05:57:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18750406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_possum_god/pseuds/gay_possum_god
Summary: “I’ve gotten better at responding to new names over the years,” Polly said, omitting the fact that she often used variations of her own name, “but I’m still in awe of what a natural you were at it.”Merope took in a deep breath. The opportunity had presented itself, and after years of friendship, she wanted to tell Polly the truth.“I may have already had a bit of practice.”This caught Polly’s attention. “Were you part of M16?”





	What's in a Name

The side door slammed, and Merope dropped her cigarette and whipped around.

“Nasty habit,” Polly Churchill said, walking over to lean on the wall next to Merope, “But somehow, I never can seem to quit.” Polle pulled out a cigarette of her own from the folds of her historically accurate, albeit hideous, FANY nurse uniform.

Merope made no attempt to light another cigarette, but leaned back against the wall next to her friend. The ground around their feet was littered with cigarette butts from other historians before them who had also learned that there was no alarm on the fire exit near the out of service restrooms. Polly’s smoke trailed up towards the grey English sky, and her lipstick left a dark red ring around the base.

“Remember back when we were training?” Polly said, her words dripping with nostalgia.

“No idea what we were doing, but bursting with excitement over the prospect of our first drop? How could I forget?”

“You were the best,” Polly said, turning to look at Merope as she said this.

Merope smiled.

“I’ve gotten better at responding to new names over the years,” Polly said, omitting the fact that she often used variations of her own name, “but I’m still in awe of what a natural you were at it.”

Merope took in a deep breath. The opportunity had presented itself, and after years of friendship, she wanted to tell Polly the truth.

“I may have already had a bit of practice.”

This caught Polly’s attention. “Were you part of M16?”

“No.”

“So you’re an outside spy!”

“No!”

“I know,” Polly said with playful conviction, “you were secretly a child actor.”

“No!” said Merope laughing, “but seriously, I do have something to confess.”

“Okay,” Polly said, relaxing back against the wall and returning the cigarette to her lips, listening attentively.

Merope felt so nervous she thought she’d throw up, but she knew that she had to say it then, or she never would. “I’m trans. Transgender. When I was born the doctors said I was a boy, but really I always knew tha—”

“I know what transgender means,” Polly said, cutting Merope off before she told her entire life story. Years of friendship and colleagueship meant that Polly was well acquainted with Merope’s habit of rambling when she was nervous.

“And,” Polly added, “it’s totally fine.”

“Okay,” Merope said, taking a deep breath and letting the nervous tingling under her skin fade.

“Well,” she added after a few moments of silence, “that’s why I was so good at remembering names. I already had practice. I changed mine back in middle school when I started transition. I changed it several times actually.”

Polly nodded. “Would you mind telling me why you chose Merope? It’s a lovely name.”

“My dad bought me a telescope when I was younger, and there was this constellation called the Pleiades that we both loved. And there is a star in the Pleiades called Pleiades that is also known as ‘the lost Pleiad’ because astronomers didn’t notice it the first time. I guess I identified with that because I felt like I hadn’t been truly seen the first time.  
“Also, it was my great grandmother’s name, and my mother wanted me to be named after her.”

Polly laughed. “I was named after my great grandmother too! Isn’t it absolutely horrid?”

Polly then glanced down at her watch. “Oh, dear! I’m gonna be late for my appointment with Wardrobe if I stay out here much longer, and they’re so busy these days I won't get a make up for at least a week.” She snuffed out her cigarette, which was just the butt by that point, and held out her arm.

Merope linked her arm with Polly’s and followed her friend back into the building once again talking about Wardrobe and lipstick and falling back into the familiar rhythm of their friendship.

**Author's Note:**

> I loved the Oxford Time Travel books, but was disappointed with the lack of diversity, so I'm adding it for myself.


End file.
